Summer is around the corner and millions of people will hit the sand this coming holiday weekend. Whatever it is you do to celebrate summer, remember to take precautions against the damaging effects of the sun. You know that the sun can age you prematurely. Sunscreen is vital and today’s newest ones are specially formulated to be lightweight and not greasy, perfect for facial skin. Also, look for a moisturizer with a built-in sunscreen. (You’ll find my favorite one at the end of this post.) And there’s more that you can do too …

Photo by Melody Lesser

To get some tips to help you look younger, EverBeautiful.com spoke with several beauty professionals including Dr. Kirk Brandow, founder and director of the Brandow Clinic for Cosmetic Surgery in Philadelphia, who has appeared on national programs such as Good Morning America and 20/20. Here’s what he – and the other experts – have to say …

1. Get rest.

There absolutely is such a thing as beauty sleep. “Women come to my practice thinking they need an eye-job or a facelift when all they need is sleep. Sleep is a time when we rejuvenate ourselves and cellular turnover is at its height. Getting 7-8 hours of sleep nightly will make a huge difference in how youthful a woman appears especially as she approaches age 30 and collagen production decreases,” says Dr. Brandow. “A woman can speed up aging if she is constantly sleep deprived.”

2. Use an overnight treatment.

If you suffer from breakouts or skin dryness leading to wrinkles or blotches, treating your skin concerns at night is a way to maintain a youthful glow. “Work closely with your dermatologist or aesthetician who can recommend non-irritating skin treatments specifically addressing your concern,” advises Dr. Brandow. You want to take advantage of overnight options available to boost collagen and heal skin while sleeping.

3. Hydrate

When it comes to anti-aging and putting your most youthful face forward, water is key. Water flushes your system of toxins which helps skin to glow. “Women spend a lot of money on topical creams formulated to boost moisture and hydrate the skin yet, if they integrated more water, even 4, 8 ounce glasses per day, they would see fewer wrinkles and an overall smoother younger skin texture within a month,” says Dr. Adriane Pompa, Miami based board certified dermatologist who specializes in aging skin.

4. Be smart about fillers.

Fillers are used to add volume that diminishes as we age but people have taken it to extremes. There have been many advancements with fillers over the past 5 years offering more options and more sophisticated ways to administer them to achieve a youthful look.

According to Dr. Brandow, many patients believe that filling their cheeks will soften their laugh lines, so they push doctors to administer two to four syringes in their cheek bones and cheek area at once. This can result in swelling and doesn’t necessarily lift their face. Fillers are often done as an alternative to a face lift but, if not spread out over several weeks, it just gives the patient an unnatural look that distorts their face and makes them look odd.

“My personal preference is to perform the fillers sequentially. For example, I will use one syringe of filler in multiple locations. Then I’ll have patients return in 4-6 weeks and perhaps do another syringe to the same places, or different places, giving them an overall natural look. This leads to a softer, more natural result. The key to doing fillers well are going with small amounts every 4-6 weeks,” explains Dr. Brandow.

5. Get facials.

According to Dr. Adriane Pompa, one facial per month does wonders for skin’s clarity, texture, and ability to produce collagen. “There are many at-home facials available that one can do weekly. The key is knowing your skin type and ingredients that address your specific skin concern. Also, you can treat different parts of the face differently depending on skin issue. Let’s say you are prone to breakouts on your jawline, have wrinkles on your forehead and dryness on the cheeks, your dermatologist or aesthetician can recommend a facial plan customized for you.”

6. Consider lasers and light.

Lasers are another tool that blasts away acne scars, evidence of past sun damage and evens out skin giving that flawless, youthful glow. There have been so many advancements with lasers resulting in more immediate results without downtime. Lasers typically cost between $600 – $1200 per treatment depending on the city and type of laser. The advantage with lasers is accuracy. You can treat a specific area without affecting the rest of the surrounding skin. (Note: If you do laser treatments, try to avoid the sun and always use products with a sun protection factor.)

7. Tone down your make-up.

One way to immediately take 10 years off your look is to revamp your make-up. Consider hiring a professional make-up artist who can teach you how to enhance and even modernize your look. New York make-up artist, Carlo Geraci, who was protégé to Trish McEvoy and Kevin Aucoin, explains that a lot of women are doing their make-up the same way they did 20 years ago. That bronzer that you loved in the 90’s when you were 24 may appear harsh and outdated at 44. “Heavy eye liner and strong lip colors may only accentuate wrinkles and fine lines. As women age, less is more when it comes to make-up. Opt for a great hydrating foundation or a touch of concealer, a pinch of blush, a swipe of mascara or a gray or brown eyeliner and a natural looking lip liner topped with a tinted hydrating balm,” he suggests.

About the Experts:

Dr. Kirk Brandow, founder and director of Brandow Clinic for Cosmetic Surgery is a plastic surgeon with 2 locations in the Philadelphia metro area and a 3rd one at the jersey shore. Named a “Top Doc” in Plastic Surgery by Philadelphia Magazine as well as nationally recognized for one of America’s “Best Plastic Surgeons” of this decade, Dr. Brandow is a trusted expert who has developed many innovative, minimally invasive procedures for the face, body and skin. He has been featured on local, national and international television programs including 20/20, CNN’s Headline News, Good Morning America.

Dr. Adriane Pompa is a board-certified dermatologist and Associate Professor of Dermatology at University of Miami,Jackson Memorial Hospital who is highly trained in medical dermatology, dermatologic surgery and cosmetic dermatology. In addition to her general practice, she specializes in anti-aging skin care, skin cancer prevention and treatment, and laser use in dermatology.

Carlo Geraci, New York make-up artist has worked alongside Kevin Aucoin, helped launch the Trish McEvoy brand, and was invited by Barneys New York to became the first Beauty Guru, a position created specifically for him. His work has appeared in print and commercial campaigns, New York Fashion Week runways, red carpets, Broadway stages, television, film, and fashion editorials. He has also appeared on the Style Network, CBS News, and Today on NBC.

And, while you’re enjoying this Memorial Day Weekend, please take a moment to celebrate the literal meaning of this day that was set aside to honor those brave men and women who lost their lives in service to this country.

And now, as promised, my fave moisturizer with SPF. It’s RoC’s Multi-Correxion 5-in-1 Daily Moisturizer with Hexinol technology and SPF 30. It’s lightweight, disappears into my skin smoothly and quickly and I really like the extra SPF 30 protection from the sun. Get it below …